Battling Muhls no-hit, fall to Palisades in 10

ALLENTOWN - Muhlenberg found a way to beat one outstanding pitcher in its state softball opener, but came up just short in its bid to beat a second Thursday.

Pitcher Krista Morrone threw a no-hitter and also knocked in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning as Palisades ended the Muhls' season with a 2-1 win in a PIAA Class AAA quarterfinal at Patriots Park.

Muhlenberg (23-6), which got a run out of its only hit in an opening win over District 1 champion Nazareth Academy and Virginia recruit Erica Cipollini, manufactured an unearned run in the fifth inning against Morrone, but didn't get another runner to second base until the 10th, when pitcher Katie Shaub started there under the international tiebreaker rule.

Morrone struck out her 13th and 14th batters to keep the Muhls from scoring in the 10th, then lined a single to left with the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning to end it.

"The team played their hearts out and they came this far," said Muhlenberg coach Jeff Egan. "That was an awesome pitcher we faced down in West Chester; this pitcher's awesome."

"That's what she's been doing all year," said Palisades coach Michelle Borzok of Morrone, who had pitched 35 scoreless postseason innings until the Muhls broke through. "She's stepping it up a notch in playoffs."

Morrone, a junior right-hander with an unorthodox delivery, struck out at least one in every inning and retired the side in order in eight of the 10 innings. Aimee Burnette was the only player to hit the ball out of the infield for the Muhls, lifting a fly ball to left in the seventh.

Still, the Muhls were in it, thanks to the pitching of Shaub, who repeatedly worked out of trouble. She stranded runners on base in six innings, and twice ended innings with runners at second and third.

"She did a very nice job," Egan said of Shaub, who had thrown back-to-back shutouts. "You couldn't ask more from your pitcher."

The Muhls took the lead in the fifth when Missy Lamm, who scored their only run in a 1-0 win over Nazareth, was hit by a pitch. Lamm moved to second on a sacrifice and, with two outs, took off for third on a delayed steal, forcing a late throw that went into foul territory and allowed her to score.

But Palisades (22-5) answered right back, with leadoff hitter Ellie Giovino getting a base hit and scoring a double to left by Taylor Rundatz. Shaub kept the score tied by getting Morrone, who leads the team with a .380 average and 20 RBIs, on a disputed strikeout.

The Muhls, though, didn't reach base again until Shaub started at second in the 10th under the international tiebreaker. Morrone, who has 320 strikeouts and just four walks on the season, retired the side in order for the fifth straight inning, then won it with her hit to left to end the Muhls season.

"They're overachievers," said Egan. "I wish they could have made it a little farther, but it didn't happen."